MahoganyBooks partners with AfricanAncestry.com to host an Author Talk and Book Signing featuring Michael Twitty, author of The Cooking Gene, on September 19, 2017, at 7 PM.

Woodbridge, VA, August 30, 2017 - MahoganyBooks, an online bookstore that specializes in books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora, is excited to partner with AfricanAncestry.com, the world leader in tracing maternal and paternal lineages of African descent, to bring MahoganyBooks presents an Author Talk & Book Signing with Michael Twitty to the Gateway Arts District in Mt. Rainier, MD. This book talk will feature author, independent scholar, culinary historian, and native Washingtonian, Michael Twitty, discussing his new book The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South.

The event will be held at The Adinkra Cultural Arts Studio (ACAS) on Tuesday, September 19, 2017. Twitty will read from his book, discuss the genealogy research conducted, answer audience questions, and autograph each book. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the program will begin at 7 pm. The Adinkra Cultural Arts Studio is located at 3804 34th Street Mt. Rainier, MD 20712 in the heart of the Gateway Arts District and provides classes, workshops, and events specific to the arts of the African Diaspora.

Said Twitty, “I am excited about working with MahoganyBooks and AfricanAncestry.com for my next book signing and having the opportunity to share my experience and know-how in genealogy research. I’m passionate about helping people uncover their heritage. Ultimately, when people leave this event I want them to realize that food has made us a family and has given us a vehicle to tell profound truths about our journeys.”

MahoganyBooks presents an Author Talk & Book Signing with Michael Twitty is a free event but seating is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis for general admission tickets. Premium ticket holders will have reserved seats in addition to a guaranteed autographed book. Tickets for admission can be accessed at bit.ly/koshersoul.

About the book: In his book The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South, Michael brings a fresh perspective to our most divisive cultural issue, race, in this illuminating memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture that traces his ancestry--both black and white--through food, from Africa to America and from slavery to freedom. As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the South's past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep--the power of food to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together.

“Drawing on a wealth of documentary digging, personal interviews, and plenty of time in the kitchen, Twitty ably joins past and present, puzzling out culinary mysteries along the way.”

– Kirkus Reviews

About MahoganyBooks: Founded in 2007 by husband and wife duo, Derrick and Ramunda Young, in response to their love for literature and their desire to see it empower others as it has empowered them. MahoganyBooks is the fastest growing online bookstore for people of the African Diaspora that has also developed a reputation for connecting readers to writers for exciting, engaging, and thought-provoking literary events with the likes of Misty Copeland, Rep. John Lewis, Walter Mosley, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and former Mayor Marion Barry among others.

About African Ancestry: Founded in 2003, African Ancestry Inc. (AfricanAncestry.com) pioneered genetic ancestry tracing for Black people worldwide. Utilizing its proprietary database of African DNA lineages, the company most accurately assesses present-day countries and ethnic groups of origin for people of African descent. African Ancestry’s products include the MatriClan™ and PatriClan™ ancestry tests and customized memorabilia and informative resources. African Ancestry is African-American-owned and headquartered in Washington, DC. For inquiries, contact taylor@taylorcommunicationsgroup.com.